Translation Process Notions of Translation
Vinay and Darbelnet in Venutti, 2000 are experts who first introduce the term technical procedures in the translation method.
They propose seven basic procedures which are included to the direct translation or literal and indirect or oblique translation. Based on
them, the seven basic procedures are operating on three levels of styles: lexis, distribution morphology and syntax and message.
Literal translation occurs when there is an exact structural, lexical, even morphological equivalence between two languages. According to
the authors, this is only possible when the two languages are very close to each other. Direct translation covers borrowing, calque, and
literal translation. Whereas Oblique translation occurs when word for word translation is
impossible. Oblique translation covers
transposition, modulation, equivalence, and adaptation. Each can be specified as follows.
1 Borrowing
Borrowing is a word taken directly from another language, e.g., the English word
bulldozer
has been incorporated directly into other language. Based on Vinay and Darbelnet in Venutti, 2000,
sometimes a translator may use borrowing to introduce the flavour of the source language SL culture into a translation. They also add that
borrowing is used as it has become a part of the respective lexicon. For example
SL: computer TL:
komputer.
2 Calque
Calque is a foreign word or phrase translated and incorporated into another language, e.g.,
fin de semaine
from the English weekend. According to Vinay and Darbelnet in Venutrti, 2000 calque is a
special kind of borrowing whereby a language borrows translation forms of another, but the translator translates literally each of its
elements. The result is either a lexical calque, a calque which respects the syntactic structure of the target language. For example
SL: software TL:
perangkat lunak.
3 Literal Translation
Literal translation or it is commonly known as word-for-word translation. According to Vinay and Darbelnet in Venutti, 2000, it is
a direct transfer of the source language text into a grammatically and idiomatically app
ropriate target language text in which the translators’ task is limited to observing the adherence to the linguistic servitudes
of the TL. In this procedure the individual words and the word order of the ST are kept only when it is possible. For example
SL: I would tell a story TL:
Saya akan memberitahu sebuah cerita.
4 Transposition
According to Vinay and Darbelnet in Molina, 2002, transposition is a shift of word class or a shift between grammatical
categories. It can be verb for noun, noun for preposition, e.g.,
Expéditeur
and
From
. And when there is a shift between two signifiers, it is called crossed transposition, e.g.,
He limped across the street
and
Il a traversé la rue en boitant
. Based on them, there are two types of transpositions: obligatory and optional transposition
Obligatory transposition is when the target language has no other choices because of the language system Vinay and Darbelnet, in
Venutti: 2000. For example SL: a cup of coffee
TL:
secangkir kopi
An optional transposition can be chosen by the translator for the sake of style so that the result of the translation fits better into the
utterance. For example SL: a sound after his gone
TL:
sebuah suara setelah kepergiannya
5 Modulation
Modulation is a shift in point of view or in cognitive categories. Whereas transposition is a shift between grammatical
categories, modulation is a shift in cognitive categories, e.g.,
encre de Chine
and
Indian ink.
According to Vinay and Darbelnet in Venutti, 2000, it is a variation of form of the message, obtained by a change in
the point of view. The change can be justified when, although a literal, or even transposed, translation results in a grammatically correct
utterance, but it is considered unsuitable, unidiomatic and awkward in the target language. For example
SL: I broke my leg TL:
kakiku patah.
6 Equivalence
Based on Vinay and Darbelnet in Venutti, 2000 they have repeatedly stressed that one and the same situation can be rendered by
two texts using completely different stylistic and structural methods. For example,
SL: raining cats and dogs TL:
hujan deras sekali.
7 Adaptation
According to Vinay and Darbelnet in Molina, 2002 adaptation is a shift in cultural environment, e.g., to express the
message using different situation, e.g.
cycling
for the French,
cricket
for the English and
baseball
for the American. Or it is used in those cases where the type of situation being referred to by SL message is
unknown in TL culture Vinay and Darbelnet in Venutti, 2000. For example
SL: How do you do? TL:
Apa kabar?
Based on Vinay and Darbelnet, those seven basic procedures are complemented by other procedures. They are all classified as
opposing pairs, except for the procedures of compensation and inversion Molina, 2002.
1 Compensation
Compensation is an item of information or a stylistic effect from the ST that cannot be reproduced in the same place in the TT is
introduced elsewhere in the TT.
2 Concentration vs. Dissolution
Concentration expresses a signified from the SL with fewer signifiers in the TL. Dissolution expresses a signified from the SL with
more signifiers in the TL. 3
Amplification vs. Economy These procedures are similar to concentration and dissolution.
Amplification occurs when the TL uses more signifiers to cover syntactic or lexical gaps. According to Vinay and Darbelnet,
dissolution is a question of
langue
and adaptation. The opposite is economy where the TL uses less signifier.
4 Reinforcement vs. Condensation
These are variations of amplification and economy that are characteristic of French and English, e.g., English prepositions or
conjunctions that need to be reinforced in French by a noun or a verb. 5
Explicitation vs. Implicitation Explicitation is to introduce information from the ST that is
implicit from the context or the situation. Implicitation is to allow the situation to indicate information that is explicit in the ST.
6 Generalization vs. Particularization
Generalization is to translate a term for a more general one, whereas, particularization is the opposite.
7 Inversion
This is to move a word or a phrase to another place in a sentence or a paragraph so that it reads naturally in the target language
in Molina, 2002. For example the word
also
in an English sentence which is moved in another place in Bahasa Indonesia, e.g.,
Also, she is fine and beautiful ...
and Dia juga baik dan cantik …